Strong tyre levers - any recommendations please?

[youngoldbloke]

Bontrager - bright red so that you don't lose them when you drop them in the long grass.

 

[Falwheeler]

I use one of these. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...:20828621236&gclid=CJvPr8muvrYCFbLMtAodkk8AFg

 

[Davidc]

Park Tools Steel for me.

 

[kedab]

Park Tools Steel for me.

+1

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Park Tools Blue levers

same here, they're brilliant and extremely hardwearing

 

[beanzontoast]

I use one of these. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8176&CurrencyISO=EUR&ShippingCountryID=1791&_$ja=kw:crank brothers speed lever|cgn:Crank Brothers-WO-121-XX - crank brothers speed lever|cgid:4863278836|tsid:40896|cn:Chain Reaction-UK-P-Exa-Eng-DT-SE|cid:207166756|lid:2009375643|mt:Exact|nw:search|crid:20828621236&gclid=CJvPr8muvrYCFbLMtAodkk8AFg

Got one of those already - it did help with getting the tyre on further that I could otherwise, but I still had 6-8" of straight line bead to deal with. Maybe I'm not that strong?!

The chap at the LBS explained to me yesterday that they have something called tyre pliers that they use in the workshop - handles like normal pliers, but the 'jaws' are two long, curved heads that go either side of the tyre and compress it to make it easier to fit onto the rim. Never heard of these before - sound amazingly useful, but I gather they are a specialised tool so I have no idea of the cost.

 

[Davidc]

I've never used tyre levers to get a tyre on. Only off.

If you get the technique right they'll all go on using just hands. Even Marathon plus.

There's an online video which shows how, and although shown for the Marathon plus the technique is the one I was shown (by my LBS owning Scout Leader) back in about 1965. It's worked on every tyre I've fitted since then.

Here's a cycle chat thread relating to the video

 

[Spartak]

VAR Tyre levers get my vote

 

[jay clock]

these work for me http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tacx-tyre-levers-pack-of-three/

 

[slowmotion]

^^^^^ Yep! Tacx get my vote. Mine are four years old and have never let me down. BTW, my sister says that Lidl ones are made of cheese.

 

[doog]

I've never used tyre levers to get a tyre on. Only off.

If you get the technique right they'll all go on using just hands. Even Marathon plus.

There's an online video which shows how, and although shown for the Marathon plus the technique is the one I was shown (by my LBS owning Scout Leader) back in about 1965. It's worked on every tyre I've fitted since then.

Here's a cycle chat thread relating to the video

My thumbs are still wrecked thanks to that technique and a pair of Vittorias

 

[beanzontoast]

To be honest, I prefer using levers rather than thumbs. I have fitted tyres by hand before, though I find M+ tricky even with levers.

To my way of thinking, if a tool exists to make a job easier, I'd quite like to use it!

 

[Sterba]

No one has mentioned the real benefit of the Park blue levers, which is that they clip neatly together so that they can be carried round as a set, taking up little room in your bag. They also catch nicely on the spoke so that they stay in place while you work the next one into place. It seems we are all agreed!

 

[taximan]

I still use tyre levers that I bought in Woolworths in about 1960.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I use little blue Scwalbre levers, but if the tyre is being troublesome I also use profanity.